Shimeon שִׁמְעוֹן
Israelite who married a foreign wife during the exile.
Who is Shimeon in the Bible?
Shimeon was an Israelite mentioned in Ezra 10:31 who had married a foreign woman during the Babylonian exile. After the Jewish people returned to Jerusalem, the scribe Ezra instituted a religious reform requiring Israelites to separate from their foreign wives in order to preserve the nation's religious and cultural identity. Shimeon complied with this directive and agreed to send away his wife, demonstrating his allegiance to God's law. His inclusion in the biblical record highlights the tension between personal relationships and communal religious obligations during the post-exile restoration period.
Biography
Shimeon is mentioned in Ezr.10.31 as one of the Israelites who had married foreign women during the Babylonian exile. After the return to Jerusalem, Ezra the scribe led a religious reform that required the Israelites to separate themselves from their foreign wives to maintain the purity of the nation. Shimeon, along with several other Israelites, was found to have married a foreign woman. As part of the reform, Shimeon agreed to send away his foreign wife, demonstrating his commitment to following God's law and maintaining the religious and cultural identity of the Israelites.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:31
"From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,"
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | שִׁמְעוֹן | šimĕʿwōn | Shimon , one of Jacob's sons, also the tribe descended from him |